The Real Paul Anka
by milomariano
Summary: Alternative ending for Rory and Jess, "the Real Paul Anka"
1. The Real Paul Anka ch 1

"I'm really glad you're here," Rory said quietly.

"I'm glad you are too," Jess whispered back.

Jess leaned in slowly, and before she knew it, Rory was enclosed in him tight grip and had his lips pressed against her face. And she felt horrible.

"Jess... I can't do this. I'm so sorry," she cried.

Jess was confused. "Why not?" He asked. "This is perfect."

"I can't even cheat on him, like he cheated on me." She said flatly.

Jess was horrified. She was still with Logan? She said everything was fixed!

"Oh my god Rory, you're still with him?! I don't deserve this. You turn up here alone-"

"He was out of town!"

"You come here. You act all nice to my guests, you stay after everyone leaves. Why did you do it Rory?"

Rory paused. "He slept with... an entire bridal party. Honestly, I wanted to get him back."

Jess sighed.

Rory felt terrible about what she had done. Why did she come here? She knew it wouldn't work. Jess wasn't an idiot. He's realise she wasn't herself. "Jess..." she started. Jess shook his head, but Rory continued to talk. "I'm in love with him," she continued. "Despite all the bad he's done, I'm madly in love with him. I'm so sorry."

Jess knew it wasn't right. He knew that Rory shouldn't have been with that idiot Logan. He had to do something about it, but if she was really in love with the blonde dick from Yale... maybe there was nothing he could do. Of course he was still in love with her. He just needed time to think it over. "Where's your car?" He asked.

"That way." She replied.

"Okay... hey, Rory?"

"Yeah?"

"Uh, if you want, you could always tell him we... did something."

"Thanks Jess..." Rory walked out, only to find something she certainly did not expect to see. Logan was back from Vegas early.

"Logan? How did you find me here? I... I thought you were coming back to town tomorrow! I didn't think you knew I was here..."

"I know," Logan said angrily. "Get out of my way, ace. I want to know first hand from Jack, Joel - whatever his name is - why you're here."

"His names Jess!" Rory screamed, before watching Logan walk into the bookstore after Jess.


	2. The Real Paul Anka Ch 2

Rory's boyfriend burst through the doors just as Jess was packing up. He was suprised to see him here, Rory said he was out of town.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Jack?" Logan yelled.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Logan. You sent her here. You slept with the bridesmaids. She came here to get you back."

Logan paced the room. "We were on a break. Surely she knows that. She wouldn't try to get me back. She's too nice. I knew she wouldn't do anything after I slept with the bridal party, that's why I did it. That's why I let her go into the room with them. It was a test of our love."

Jess was getting pissed at this punk. "Oh yeah, and she loved you so much that the moment she left town she came here to _me_ , to get you back."

"You're a dick, Jess."

"That's a compliment, coming from you."

Logan lunged at Jess just as Rory walked in to see what was going on.

"LOGAN!" She screamed. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

Logan smiled at her. "Nothing, ace. I'm just giving your other man what he deserves." He attempted to punch Jess, but Jess dodged.

"I don't deserve you Logan. You say you're leaving town. You tell me when you're getting back. You don't trust me. Part of love is trust, but you don't trust me. You go looking for the letter - that's the only way you would know where I was - then you drive here and pick a fight with my friend."

Logan looked hurt. He stepped away from Jess. "So that's it? After all we've been through, I punch your friend and now we're done?"

"Right. But it's more than that, Logan. You never treated me well. You would cheat, you were a drunk. You thought you could buy me with money, but you can't."


	3. The Real Paul Anka Ch 3

"You really think I'm a horrible person..." Logan asked, not knowing how to respond and he had never been insulted before.

"No! I just think we're not good together. Honestly, I've been in love with Jess ever since I first dated him..." Rory realised that she had just said this in front of Jess himself.

"I mean - I - uh... Jess..." she stammered.

"It's ok! Continue. I'd like to see this." Jess replied, making Rory smile.

Logan looked stunned. "I can't believe you're doing this, ace. After all I did for you. I let you stay in my house. _My_ house. I bought you the Birkin bag. I bought you so many things. How was I not perfect for you?!"

"You can't just buy me things and expect me to fall in love with you!" She spat.

"Fine!" Logan scowled at Jess. "We're done. Give me your key for the house. I'll dump your stuff outside... no, actually. I'm keeping your stuff, it can go in the trash. It belongs in there, like you and Jess. Find your own way back to living like a human. I'm out." Logan walked out the door, and Rory could have sworn she saw a tear fall down the side of his perfect face. _How could I hurt him like this?_ She wondered. She started to sob, and Jess walked over to comfort her. "How could I do this to him. He was so amazing to me, and I totally threw our love in the dirt. Why am I such a horrible person?!" Rory started to cry more and more, and Jess put his arm around her.

"You're not horrible," he whispered. "You're perfect. _He_ was horrible. You know what you said to him. Everything you said to him, everything about him trying to buy you, cheating... you were totally right." Rory looked up at him, and realised just how perfect he really was. "Jess," she said. "Do you still... do you still love me? After all these years... I completely understand if you don't, but I thought I should-"

"Yes." Jess only said one simple word, but Rory's heart gave a leap. She leaned in, and gave Jess a small kiss before pulling away. Se smiled to herself, knowing that this time, the timing was right. This time, her and Jess could be together with no interruptions. No Dean, no Logan, no high school... everything could finally be perfect, and Rory hoped nothing would ever change.


	4. The Real Paul Anka Ch 4

NOTE: ok guys I know my chapters are short, I have really limited writing time each day and I want to get at least 2 out per day.

As she stared into Jess' eyes, Rory started to feel bad. Bad for Logan, bad for... well everyone. She knew it was crazy, but... _what if Logan was kidding? What if he didn't mean what he said? What if he still loved her?_ As much as Rory knew she had to have Jess, a part of her still was in love with the man she just left. Jess seemed to notice, too.

"Rory... I know this was hard for you... he's a jerk. Really. You deserve better."

Rory snapped. She couldn't bare her contradicting feelings. She couldn't help but yell, "So I deserve you? You're better? I shouldn't have come here, just to see _you!_ I needed Logan, and YOU stopped our relationship!"

Jess felt sick. "Rory, I -"

"Jess. You were a horrible boyfriend. You know that, right? You just left. You come back. Tell me you love me. Then you leave again, then you beg me to run away with you! Then you come and ruin my relationship with the man I love. Get out of my life!"

Jess never knew Rory thought of him like that. A horrible boyfriend? He tried to do the bets he could for her. He tried so hard. How could she say this to him? He wanted to say something to her, something to make her realise he cared about her... but he couldn't think of anything to say. He watched her leave and couldn't shake the feeling that he would never be able to truly get Rory Gilmore back in his life.


	5. The Real Paul Anka, Ch 5

Rory ran away as quickly as she could. She wanted to use her car, but someone (Logan) seemed to have stolen it. She couldn't believe what she had just said to Jess. He wasn't a horrible boyfriend. He was the best one she ever had. Better than Dean, better than Logan... what was she thinking?

She stared back at the book store as tears streamed down her eyes, making everything blurry. She didn't know it then, but she would never see that bookstore again.

Jess looked at the mess Logan had left behind, thinking about how beautiful Rory had looked that night. The way her hair sat... it was all so effortless and yet so glamorous. She had always been the prettiest girl he had met, in the last 4 years he had known her.

He tried to snap out of it. She would never truly love him. Logan would always be the man she just couldn't quit.

He looked in his cell, searching for her number. He found it, and pressed the call button.

 _Beep... beep... beep... hi, it's Rory. I'm obviously not on my phone right now, or maybe I'm just ignoring you. Leave a message after the beep to find out! (BEEP)_

She was ignoring him. He hesitated, then said, "Rory. I know you ran away, I know you probably don't want to hear from me again. But I have to tell you something. Since the first day I met you, I've been madly in love with you. I know it's horrible to say this over the phone, but I couldn't find the words before, I have them now. I love you, Rory. Please, please call me back."


	6. Te Real Paul Anka Ch 6

She watched her phone light up, then watched the screen go back to being black. " _Jess"_ it read.

She got out of the taxi and walked down the street to her house in a daze. She couldn't call him back. Not now. She walked up to the house, and rang the bell. "Logan... " she said as he opened the door with the chain still attached. She shook his head, and threw her a toothbrush. "Go run off with Joel." He said, shutting the door.

Rory's hand hovered over the phone, not knowing who to call. She ran through her contacts, and stopped scrolling at _Jess_. She was about to press call, but at that moment the screen lit up with the name _Jess_ at the top.

She hesitated, not knowing whether she should pick up. She resigned to her gut feelings and pressed "answer".

"Jess?" She said.

"Rory... uh, hi. Did you get my message?"

"Well, I heard it come through the phone after you called... Thankyou. For- for being so great to me after all these years."

She heard Jess sigh, before he said: "so... are the feelings returned? Do you... do you love me back?"

"I honestly don't know how I feel about you right now. I mean, I was so happy with Logan. Then I came to you to... do something, and you act almost cool with it. Then he comes and breaks up with me and I can't help but realise that it was because of you... god, can you be less perfect and stop making all my boyfriends jealous?" They both laughed.

"I can try, but you'll have to blame Liz for my good looks."

"Ok, but I called to ask you a favour."

"Anything, Rory. Shoot."

Rory was nervous. She didn't know if Jess would be uncomfortable by this request. "Logan kicked me out, so I have no place to live. I'm on a break with Yale - don't worry, I'm still going, I'm just not in any classes right now - I need... I need somewhere to stay."

Jess smiled to himself. "And you want to stay here, with me?"

"Yes. Yes I do, and... maybe I can figure out if I'm still in love with you while I'm there? No innuendo intended..."

Jess laughed. "Of course you can. Come any time, you know where the shack is, haha."

"Can I... come over now?" She asked.

"Absolutely. Come hither!" Jess said.


	7. The Real Paul Anka Ch 7

Jess had just gotten off the phone with Rory, and into his house, when his phone rung again. He smiled, thinking it was Rory again. But it wasn't. It was Peter, his boss.

"Pete! Hi. What's up?" He said casually.

"Oh you know. This and that. The this and the that actually have something to do with you, Mr Mariano."

"Oh yeah?" Jess asked. He didn't think anyone found out about the fight in the store, so what could this be about?

"You left the store damaged. I don't know what happened but it looked like you had a punch up in there."

Jess froze. They couldn't have found out...

"Uh, what do you mean? A punch up? Huh. Haven't heard anything about it."

"Oh, well I can put Mr Huntzberger on the line if you'd like to speak with him."

"Logan?!" Jess yelled. "Yes, he punched me. Yes, I defended myself. By moving out of the way!"

"Well, Mr... we're letting you go. We can't deal with things like this, we have a new employee coming in tomorrow. Get your stuff, and get out."

The phone went silent.

Rory was staying at his house. She didn't have a job, and neither did he. How would he provide? He knew he had to give her the life She needed. He owed her that. He would have to get a job at... oh no, not Walmart again.

He heard a knock on the door. "Jess? You in there?" *knock knock* "Jess?"

Jess tripped over himself trying to get to the door. He had tried his best to clean up for Rory coming... his house wasn't exactly the nicest place. He set up a camp bed for himself, but gave Rory his bed (new sheets).

Jess opened the door, though slightly hiding behind it.

"Sorry I must have the wrong-"

"Not at all."

"Jess!" Rory hugged him, relieved that she finally found the right house. "It took so long to find you. First I went to the wrong building then another wrong building then- hi!"

Jess was about to say hi back when Rory obviously found the bathroom and disappeared into it. Jess bought out some brownies he got from the nearest bakery and placed them on the table, just as Rory came out, hair in a high messy ponytail.

"Got your hair done by a pro, I see." Jess thought out loud.

"Oh, yes. It's so in right now- the "I just got out of bed" look."

"I see why. It's hot. Almost... the female version of Rande Gerber, hot."

"Cindy Crawford."

Jess was confused. Who was Cindy Crawford?

Rory seemed to have read his thoughts, saying "His wife. Cindy Crawford."

"Huh. I have some general knowledge to catch up on."

Rory smiled, batting her eyelashes. Since when did she know how to do that? For better or worse, Logan had really changed her. "Yes. Yes you do- ooh, brownies! For me?"

Jess smiled. A crooked, playful smile - "No, for me. It has to go on the pile of gifts from my other suitors!"

Rory eyed him suspiciously. "And who might these suitors be?"

"Nobody, they're for you."

"Wow... after all these years, you still remember the day I said I would marry brownies it I could! Did you buy the big one a tux? I have a dress ready to go!"

Jess didn't remember the last time he was truly happy. Probably 4 years ago, when he met Rory. Before then- probably never. It was a good feeling. He watched Rory devour all the brownies, then stopped halfway through the last one. "Oh... sorry Jess. Did you want one?"

"No, go ahead. I have some lettuce over here for _me."_

 _"You're_ _kidding!"_ She said, suprised at his eating habits. "You're taking after Luke."

Jess watched her eat the last piece. "Well, only a true Gilmore can eat as badly as you and your mother do."


End file.
